If you see the following error message in your connection log:

Thu Apr 21 11:22:37 2016 All TAP-Windows adapters on this system are currently in use.
Thu Apr 21 11:22:37 2016 Existing due to fatal error
Disconnected with error: vpn process terminated unexpectedly
or
Thu Apr 21 11:22:37 2016 All TAP-Win32 adapters on your system are currently in use.

Preliminary check: Please upgrade to the latest version of ExpressVPN (which contains the latest ExpressVPN TAP Driver) first. If you already have the latest version of ExpressVPN, please uninstall and then reinstall your app.

Click Start (or hit the Windows key) to open the Start Menu.

  • Type “run
  • Select Run under “Programs” to open the Run dialog box

run programs

In the Run dialog box, type “ncpa.cpl” and click OK.

ncpa.cpl

In the Network Connections window, find the ExpressVPN TAP adapter. It’s name often begins with Ethernet. It may also be called Tap-Windows Adapter V9 for older versions of ExpressVPN.

expressvpn tap driver

Right-click the TAP adapter, and select Enable. If it is already enabled, first disable it and then re-enable it.

enable tap adapter

Restart ExpressVPN and connect to a server location.

Click to connect ExpressVPN on Windows.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.


Can’t locate your TAP adapter?

If you cannot see your TAP adapter in the Network Connections window, go to Device Manager Network adapters ExpressVPN Tap Adapter.

Double click on ExpressVPN Tap Adapter to view the device status. If you see:

Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)

you’ll need to disable driver signature enforcement, reinstall ExpressVPN, and re-enable driver signature enforcement.

Disable driver signature enforcement

  1. Open a Command Prompt with admin privileges. You can do this by searching for “command prompt” in your desktop search. Make sure to right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  2. Enter the following command: bcdedit /set testsigning on You should see “The operation completed successfully.”
  3. Close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Reinstall ExpressVPN

  1. Sign in to your ExpressVPN account.
  2. Click Set Up ExpressVPN.
  3. Download the ExpressVPN app for Windows.
  4. Install the ExpressVPN app for Windows.

Re-enable driver signature enforcement

  1. Open a Command Prompt with admin privileges. You can do this by searching for “command prompt” in your desktop search. Make sure to right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  2. Enter the following command: bcdedit /set testsigning off
  3. Close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.


Further troubleshooting

If you are still encountering issues, first restart your computer, then start ExpressVPN and connect to a server location.

If the problem persists after restarting your computer, re-install ExpressVPN. You do not need to uninstall the app first. Simply run the installation program again.

Need help? Contact the ExpressVPN Support Team for immediate assistance.

Back to top

Was this article helpful?

We're sorry to hear that. Let us know how we can improve.

What device do you need help with?

Examples: Android, Windows, Linksys router

A member of our Support Team will follow up on your issue.